


Rope

by Marmeladeskies



Series: The Mighty Kids [6]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Childhood, Fjord's childhood, Fjord's past, I don't know anything about ships lmao, Kid Fic, Wholesome, in my head Vandran was a good adoptive Dad ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:20:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21904369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marmeladeskies/pseuds/Marmeladeskies
Summary: A brief glimpse into Fjord's childhood.
Relationships: Fjord & Vandran (Critical Role)
Series: The Mighty Kids [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1577653
Comments: 6
Kudos: 55





	Rope

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know anything about ships but let's just pretend okay.
> 
> Enjoy ;)

Fjord was going to have to run away. 

He had to leave. 

Leaving would be better than facing the consequences of his failure. 

The two severed ends of the rope looked like snakes on the ground, ready to end his life. It had been an accident- Fjord had been so proud of himself, finally being allowed to do a few task on his own, without Vandran peeking over his shoulder-

But suddenly, the rope had pulled too taunt, whipping through the air, getting stuck on one of the hooks, and before Fjord could react, torn apart. 

There was a bleeding gash on his cheekbone and eyebrow where one of the ends had hit his face with its momentum, but the terror of breaking something was overwhelming the pain. 

Tears were filling his eyes, even though he did his best to bite them back. Vandran would see this and know that it had been a mistake taking him in. He’d have to go back to the orphanage, and they’d kick him out because he was too old, and then he’d have to live on the street and beg and-

“Fjord?”

Fjord startled, spinning around, his heart plummeting. This was it. 

Vandran’s expression was confused as he made his way belowdeck, a broad shadow with a bit of a limp, backlit by the light coming through from the deck. “What happened? Are you  _ bleeding _ ?”

Fjord flinched, taking a step backwards. He wanted to speak but he couldn’t manage, throat closing up. 

Vandran’s eyes fell unto the severed rope behind Fjord, and his expression changed. Fjord braced himself for anger, expecting to be yelled at, beaten, thrown off the ship. 

Instead, Vandran’s eyes softened. 

“Oh, boy.” 

He took a step closer to Fjord, and moved to reach out for Fjord’s face. Fjord flinched, closing his eyes-

“Hey. I’m not gonna beat you.” 

Fjord slowly blinked his eyes open. Vandran stood close to him, hand a few inches from Fjord’s face, concern in his eyes. 

“Lemme look at you, boy. That’s a nasty cut. Your eye okay?” 

Vandran cupped Ford’s chin with his hand, gently turning his head to get a better look at the wound.

Fjord swallowed hard, unable to deal with the situation. He didn’t understand- maybe Vandran would punish him later?

“M-my eye is okay I think.”, he finally managed in a small voice. 

“...we’ll get you some healin’.”, Vandran told him, brows furrowed. He let go of Fjord’s face- the wound throbbed. 

“Now, wanna tell me what happened?”

Fjord felt himself shrink again; so he wasn’t going to walk away from this unscathed after all. 

“...I… I don’t know.”, he answered the question. It was the truth- things had happened too quickly for him to really realize what had happened. “It just… snapped, and then hit me in the face, and ripped.”

“Hmm.” Vandran stepped around Fjord, and picked up the two ends of the rope. 

Fjord kneaded his hands behind his mentor’s back, heart beating loudly in his chest. 

“Hmm.”, Vandran repeated. “...it was probably already damaged.” He ran his thumb over the frayed end of one of the pieces. Fjord watched, feeling tense and nervous. 

Vandran turned to face him. Still, there was no anger on his face, and still, Fjord was confused by that. 

“Always make sure to check the ropes before you do anything. Any of your equipment.” He dropped the rope, and stepped forward, putting a hand on Fjord’s shoulder. Fjord quickly nodded. His cut throbbed with pain, and he flinched. Vandran noticed, squeezing his shoulder. 

“Now, come on. Let’s find Toben, he can heal you up.” 

“Are you not mad at me?” It burst out of Fjord; he was unable to keep the wobble out of his voice. 

Vandran, who had been about to make his way towards the ladder, stopped. “Of course not.”, he replied, “Mistakes happen.” He gave Fjord a smile, and the fear inside Fjord’s guts finally subsided. 

“Come on, now. You’re bleedin’ all over your clothes.” 

Smiling hurt his cheek. “Aye, Captain.”

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment or kudos to make a writer happy? :)


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